On the morning of July 3, 2016, Johnnie “Big John” L. Bunker Sr. passed away peacefully from his courageous fight from cancer in Helena. He was 65 years old. He was born in Bend, Oregon on February 15, 1951. He was the first born of seven children to Lillie Engquist (Baker) and Orville Bunker. He was preceded in death by his wife Monica E. Kuehl.
He joined the U.S. Army in 1968. While stationed in Germany, he volunteered for service in Vietnam where he served meritoriously receiving numerous medals. John was also a participant in the operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After 25 years of service, he retired from the Department of Defense. Upon retirement he started his own business, Big Johns Tucking, traveling at least 1.5 million miles.
In 1983, he found his forever home in Montana. He was an avid hunter and fisherman; he was considered “The great white hunter”. He spent countless hours in the outdoors with his loved ones, teaching outdoor skills, making sure we all knew how to use a compass. He had a passion for family gatherings and BBQ’s (loved them ribs). He cherished time with his family, especially playing Xbox with his son, son-in-law, and friends.
John made it a point to live his life to the fullest; he always used to say, “Everyday is a holiday”. He was always smiling and even through the worst of times, he always had a sense of humor. He was such a kind and generous man, who would do anything for anybody.
He is survived by; his parents, siblings, children John Bunker Jr (Debbie “Baby Cakes” Bunker) daughter Julie Rotar (Matt Rotar), Grandchildren, Shelby Bunker, Mikala Bunker, Sierra Rotar, and Joey Blair, numerous nieces and nephews as well as many great nieces and nephews.
Graveside services are scheduled for July 8, 2016 at 2:30pm with full military honors at Fort Harrison Cemetery. A potluck reception will follow at 4:00pm, at the Helena fairgrounds. If you wish to make contributions, please follow the link: https://www.gofundme.com/johnbunkersr
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